Green Energy Technology Patents Reach Record Highs in 2009 – By Guest Blogger Kathy

Green patents have been tracked since 2002 by the Cleantech Group of Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti. The 2009 annual report of the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI), published quarterly, confirms that it was a record year for green tech.

The number of patents in 2009 grew by 200 over 2008; the chart below illustrates the explosive growth. Solar soared up 60% and biomass up 260% over last year. Hybrid/electric vehicle and fuel cells were up 20%. Geothermal was steady with only one more patent than last year, while tidal and hydroelectric decreased in 2009.

(Chart courtesy of the Cleantech Group.)

The U.S. holds about half of the world’s clean energy patents since 2002, as depicted below, with Japan and Germany running in second and third place for total renewable energy patents. However, when it comes to the category of hybrid/electric vehicle patents, Japan leads the world with 49% and the U.S. at 39%.

Fuel Cell Patents Lead All Categories

The leader in all green tech sectors continues to be fuel cells, as seen in the chart below, again, courtesy of the Clean Tech Group. Solar’s increase brought it on par with wind patents this year.

Granting of patents is considered an important measure of activity and resources being devoted to new innovations. Patents demonstrate that serious efforts and advances of value are being made to bring forward technologies, one would hope, for the eventual benefit of all. CEPGI tracks U.S. patents in the area of solar, wind, hybrid/electric vehicles, fuel cells, hydroelectric, tidal/wave, geothermal, biomass and other clean renewable energy technologies.

This article concludes tomorrow.